Compass Group USA’s Proprietary Food Waste Tracking Program Reduces Food Waste by 33 Percent
Designed By Chefs, For Chefs; “Waste Not” Makes It Easy to Fight Food Waste
and Reduce Carbon Impact
Charlotte, N.C. (December 15, 2021) – As the world’s largest foodservice provider welcomes back more guests to its cafes and eateries across the country, its chefs and culinarians are doing more than introducing new menu items and dining options, they’re continuing to take food waste reduction efforts to a new level. Recent data shows that Compass Group USA’s waste tracking efforts have been successful in reducing food waste by 33 percent across all U.S.- based cafes using Waste Not 1.0 over the past year.
Compass Group USA recently launched Waste Not 2.0, a new and improved, proprietary tablet-based waste-tracking program, making it easy to make a meaningful difference in reducing food waste. The rollout of the enhanced program builds on the commitment the company made last year to cut food waste in half by 2030, a significant focus of its overarching sustainability strategy and aligned with UN Sustainable Development 12.3 and the Unites States 2030 Food Loss and Waste Reduction Goal.
“Through robust training and awareness building efforts, Compass Group culinary teams are well positioned to maximize waste tracking tools and drive strong food waste reduction results,” said Amy Keister, Senior Vice President of Sustainability & Culinary, Compass Group USA. “Our team remains committed to reducing food waste and we know the next iteration of Waste Not 2.0 will enable our chefs and culinarians to take food waste strategies to the next level and has the potential to reduce food waste by up to 50 percent.”
Built by Chefs for Chefs, Waste Not 2.0 is a state-of-the-art tool that helps kitchen team members identify waste-reduction opportunities that go beyond typical trim, bones, core, and peel waste. The digital platform is user-friendly, giving managers intuitive tools to quickly analyze data, identify problems and find long-lasting solutions.
“The most important thing about Waste Not 2.0 is that it created awareness for our team members,” said Amit Mehta, Regional Director of Operations for Morrison Healthcare, one of the teams that piloted the Waste Not 2.0 program. “This, in turn, empowered our associates to make significant changes to reduce waste and shows how we’re leading by example.”
Based on a successful pilot of Waste Not 2.0, Mehta’s team reported a 42 percent drop in food waste over the course of six months.
Recent enhancements to the Waste Not 2.0 dashboard now allow Compass Group’s culinary teams to see their carbon impact, measure progress and share those results with clients every quarter. Results show the program is working, as hundreds of accounts using Waste Not 2.0 have cut their onsite food waste nearly in half.
“Waste Not 2.0 has increased employee engagement and allowed managers to coach, teach and develop their teams,” said Jeff Lentini, Food & Nutrition System Director at Roper St. Francis Healthcare, who has seen a 45 percent reduction in food waste since implementing the tool, reducing their carbon and water footprint equivalent to more than 800 lbs. of coal burned, or the equivalent of more than 1,700 showers.
Even for those already mindful of sustainability and food waste initiatives, Waste Not 2.0 can be instrumental in helping identify new opportunities to prevent and reduce food waste even further.
“Waste Not 2.0 is a game changer,” said Allison Trinkle, Director of Culinary Sustainability, Chartwells Higher Education. “Our clients want us to show them how we are being good sustainable partners and Waste Not 2.0 gives us the data, with great graphics to tell our story.”
About Compass Group
Compass Group is redefining the food and support services landscape with innovation and passion through the lens of what’s next. Serving premier healthcare systems, respected educational institutions, world-renowned cultural centers, popular sporting and entertainment venues, and Fortune 500 organizations the world over, Compass Group always finds a way to deliver excellence in nearly any vertical. Whether it’s serving school meals students love, high-end concessions in stadiums, or innovative, nutritionally balanced meals for seniors, Compass is an industry leader. Ranked No. 1 by industry peers on Fortune’s 2021 list of World’s Most Admired Companies, Compass has also earned a spot on Forbes’ list of the Best Employers for Diversity, Best Employers for New Grads and Best Employers for Women in 2021. Compass Group is among the Top 50 Companies Changing the World according to Fortune.